I thought I remembered reading somewhere that I should use plastic SPGs on stages for balance, but I just popped one onto a stage instead of the brass and glass and I didn't really like the way it felt. What are you guys using for stage SPGs?
Stage SPG
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I just went and looked at the gear configuration essay on the GUE website -- there is no mention of plastic gauges on stages. One of our stage regs has a brass and glass SPG and the other has a plastic, but it's not because one is approved -- it's just what we had. I believe all gauges should ideally be brass and glass, because that's specifically recommended for your backgas setup, and all our gear should be of flexible use. We had a perfect example of that on this cave diving trip, where we had a serious leak from a connector, and had to take the SPG off a stage reg to do the dive.
ligersandtions
Contributor
I had a stage SPG with a plastic face....after about 20 dives on it, it started leaking out of the face. A buddy of mine mentioned that all of his plastic faced SPG's have done the same thing. I'm now diving with a B&G SPG on my stage bottle. It's a little bigger than the plastic faced one, but I haven't had any issues with it.
Ben_ca
Contributor
Whatever I have laying around... right now it's an older brass and glass gauge but have used the small plastic ones too in the past.
PfcAJ
Contributor
I use small halcyon spgs on stages. They are sold by a few other companies, I think HOG is in that list.
A small spg can help if you're leashing a bunch of bottles. Anything to make those puppies float (or at least less negative) is preferred, imo.
The black plastic scuba pro ones are kind of crappy, for what I've seen. I've broken a few of them.
A small spg can help if you're leashing a bunch of bottles. Anything to make those puppies float (or at least less negative) is preferred, imo.
The black plastic scuba pro ones are kind of crappy, for what I've seen. I've broken a few of them.
DevonDiver
N/A
Slightly off-topic... but what's the DIR perspective on 'button gauges'?
PfcAJ
Contributor
No-go on the buttons. We treat our stage and deco regs as logistical equivalent (a reg only becomes a deco reg when it's placed on a deco bottle, and likewise for stages), and a button isn't really good for determining drop pressures on stages. They get scratched up and are too small to be read accurately.
Rainer
Contributor
I had the smaller plastic SPGs on my stage and deco regs. Several of them failed within 12-18 months. I'm replacing them with B&G ones as needed. The plastic ones ride nicer (smaller, out of the way, bit better balance), but not worth the money to keep replacing them as they fail more quickly...
Ragnar
Contributor
One of mine is a Scubapro brass gauge with a plastic face, actually I have a dive rite one also which is identical. The SP is pretty old and has given me no trouble, they are lighter, but of course the faces are prone to scratch if dragged around on something.
LiteHedded
Contributor
Some old school guys will put plastic ones on everything to make them ride better. Not sure I notice a difference. And the plastic ones break...
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